Method for performing location-specific services, broadcasting unit and mobile receiving device

ABSTRACT

In order to perform location-specific services of a broadcasting unit, virtual cells for the location-specific services are set up so that cell data, which define a local cell area, are transmitted to a mobile receiving device via the broadcasting unit. The cell data are stored in the mobile receiving device. The mobile receiving device establishes its current position and determines whether it is located in the cell area. In the event the mobile receiving device is located in the cell area, the receiving device performs a service assigned to the cell data. The setting up of cells for local-specific services by the broadcasting unit in a multitude of mobile receiving devices in the service area of the broadcasting unit enables geographical areas inside and outside the service area to be slit up into smaller, interactive and virtual service cells and cell clusters in a dynamic and optimal manner according to need and geographical and/or service-specific parameter.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/206,979 filed on Jul. 11, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/909,766 filed on Sep. 26, 2007, whichclaims priority from and is the national stage entry of International(PCT) Patent Application Serial No. PCT/CH06/00182 filed on Mar. 29,2006, which in turn claims priority from Swiss Patent Application SerialNo. 00531/05, filed on Mar. 29, 2005. Each of the above identifiedapplications is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL DOMAIN

The present invention relates to a method for performinglocation-specific services, a broadcasting unit suitable for thispurpose, and a mobile receiving device suitable for this purpose. Thepresent invention relates in particular to a method for performinglocation-specific services of a broadcasting unit, a broadcasting unit,a mobile receiving device which is set up to establish its currentposition, and a computer program product for controlling the mobilereceiving device. In particular, the present invention relates to amethod and associated suitable devices for setting up cells forlocation-specific services of a broadcasting unit.

PRIOR ART

Location-specific services (also referred to as Location Based Services)are known in particular in mobile communications, where mobile receivingdevices are supplied with different services and/or informationdepending on their current geographical position. The knownlocation-specific services are implemented using a wide range ofservices and mechanisms, for example E-OTD (Enhanced Observed TimeDifference), FOTA (Forced Timing Advance), TA (Timing Advance), TDMA(Time Division Multiple Access), TDOA (Time Difference On Arrival), TOA(Time On Arrival). Combination systems, in which satellite-basedlocation systems, such as GPS (Global Positioning System) or Galileo,are combined with communications systems, such as communicationsterminals for GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) or UMTS(Universal Mobile Telecommunication System), are also used withincreasing frequency to perform location-specific services.

A system for location-specific services from a broadcasting system isdescribed in the patent application WO0143364. According to WO0143364, amobile receiving device is provided with a positioning system (GPS) , abroadcast receiver and a radio transmitter and, on the user'sinstruction, transmits the current position, the current set receptionfrequency and the time and user data in a wireless manner to a controlcenter. The control center determines an information content accordingto the received data and makes this available to the user in a databaseaccessible via the Internet. However, this system has the disadvantagethat, in order to provide the location-specific information content, aback channel must be provided for the communication from the mobilereceiving device to the control center.

Broadcast systems are normally very extensive systems with service areasof, for example, several hundred to several thousand square kilometers.For operators of the broadcast systems (broadcasters) , it iseconomically important to reach as many listeners as possible with asmall number of transmitters. On the other hand, location-specificservices are often appropriate or necessary only within a small to verysmall area, for example with a diameter of one to ten meters, within thespecified service area. However, the known systems and methods forproviding location-specific services and for the transfer oflocation-specific information by a broadcasting system generally havethe disadvantage that their often very large service areas cannot beadapted with sufficient flexibility to service-specific and/orgeographical requirements and/or conditions.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to propose a method, abroadcasting unit and a mobile receiving device to performlocation-specific services of the broadcasting unit which do not havethe disadvantages of the known systems. One object of the presentinvention is in particular to propose a method and associated suitabledevices for setting up cells for location-specific services of abroadcasting unit which can be adapted in a flexible manner toservice-specific and/or geographical requirements and/or conditions.

According to the present invention, these objects are achieved inparticular by the elements of the independent claims. Furtheradvantageous design forms are furthermore indicated in the dependentclaims and the description.

The aforementioned objects are achieved by the present invention inparticular in that cells are set up for the location-specific servicesin order to perform location-specific services of a broadcasting unit inthat cell data which define a regional cell area are transferred by thebroadcasting unit to a mobile receiving device, and the cell data arestored in the mobile receiving device. The cell areas which correspondto target areas which are to be served are defined, for example, bycenter data and radius. In one design variant, the cell data define acluster of a plurality of regional cell areas, whereby in particularmore complex forms of interconnected areas can be defined. The currentposition of the mobile receiving device is determined in the mobilereceiving device and the current presence of the mobile receiving devicein the cell area is determined by the mobile receiving device on thebasis of the current position. This means that it is determined in themobile receiving device on the basis of the current position of themobile receiving device whether the mobile receiving device is locatedin the cell area which is defined by the cell data. In the event of apositively determined presence of the mobile receiving device in thecell area, a service assigned to the cell data is performed in themobile receiving device. This means that, on the basis of further dataelements which are contained in the cell data or are assigned to thecell data, services are defined which are performed by the mobilereceiving device when the mobile receiving device is located in the cellarea which is defined by the cell data. The setting up of cells for thelocation-specific services by the broadcasting unit in a multitude ofmobile receiving devices in the service area of the broadcasting unitenables the service area to be split up into smaller, interactive andvirtual (service) cells and cell clusters in a dynamic and optimummanner according to need and geographical and/or service specificparameters. Cells of this type can be referred to as broadcast servicecells for location-specific services or BLBS cells (Broadcast LocationBased Services). Here, it is possible to specify a plurality ofpartially or fully overlapping cell areas for different applications andservices which, for example, change dynamically according to definedtime patterns. The cell areas can be defined as very small, having, forexample a diameter of a few meters. The cell areas can even be definedwithin buildings. Moreover, the cell areas may be located outside theservice areas of the broadcasting units (transmitters), so that mobilereceiving devices receive and store cell data in the reception area ofthe transmitters and only later, on arrival in the cell areas defined bythe cell data, do they respond accordingly. For example, on a first dayin a first city, a mobile receiver of this type can receive cell datarelating to cell areas in a second city, only responding accordingly onthe following day in the corresponding cell areas in the second city.

The location-specific services preferably comprise a data transfer fromthe broadcasting unit to the mobile receiving device. In the event of apositively determined presence of the mobile receiving unit in the cellarea, received data which are assigned to the cell data are accepted andprocessed in the mobile receiving device. Depending on the applicationand/or design variant, the cell data and user data are transferredtogether or separately from the broadcasting unit to the mobilereceiving device. In the preferred latter case, the cell data comprise acell identification and the broadcasting unit transfers the user datatogether with the cell identification separately from the cell data tothe mobile receiving device. The mobile receiving device assigns thereceived user data to the stored cell data on the basis of the cellidentification. If the mobile receiving device is located in the cellarea defined by the cell data, the mobile receiving device accepts thereceived user data for further processing. Otherwise, the received dataare deleted or discarded. This preferred design variant enables a methodfor transferring data from the broadcasting unit to the mobile receivingdevice, in which method the cell data which define the regional cellarea are transferred by a broadcasting unit to a mobile receivingdevice; the cell data are stored in the mobile receiving device; thecurrent position of the mobile receiving device is determined; thecurrent presence of the mobile receiving device in the cell area isdetermined by the mobile receiving device on the basis of the currentposition; and received data which are assigned to the cell data areaccepted and processed in the mobile receiving device in the event of apositively determined presence of the mobile receiving device in thecell area. For example, information relating to the road condition canbe transferred into a cell cluster along a motorway, or an alarm into anarea in which a chemical accident has occurred.

In one design variant, the cell data comprise an instruction (runcommand). The instruction serves to initiate and perform furtherinstruction-specific services which are assigned to the cell data. Inthe event of a positively determined presence of the mobile receivingdevice in the cell area, the instructions are carried out in the mobilereceiving device. The receiving devices are furthermore able to carryout the instructions even if the transmitter concerned is out ofservice, since the cell data are previously stored.

In a further design variant, the cell data comprise a cell type.Received data assigned to the cell data are further processed in themobile receiving device depending on the cell type. This means that, ifthe mobile receiving device is located in the cell area defined by thecell data to which the received data are assigned, the received data arefurther processed according to the cell type of these cell data. Thecell type comprises, for example, an alarm type for alarms, aninformation type for information data of different categories, anapplication type for executable applications and/or a link type forhyperlinks. The cell type defines the intended use, i.e. the servicetype and/or data type, and, in one design variant, (also) comprises theaforementioned instruction. This means that a cell in each case has acell type corresponding to the intended use and, in addition to itsdesignation, also comprises or defines a run command (instruction). Forexample, in the case of the alarm type parameter (emergency call,emergency 911) in a receiving device, the position of which is locatedin the cell area, the corresponding run command (“Alarm”) is normallycarried out automatically. Alarm cells of this type are provided, forexample, for authorized persons only, e.g. authorities, and cannotnormally be de-activated (deselected) by users (see the followingsection). The information type parameter is preferably divided up intoseveral categories (sub-types) and serves as targeted information forusers who wish to receive the corresponding categories of informationand who are located in the cell area concerned. The application typeparameter is used to transfer executable program sequences (programmodules) to mobile receiving devices in which this cell type is selectedand which are located in the cell area concerned. The link typeparameter is used to transfer executable or accessible hyperlinks tomobile receiving devices. The hyperlink is activated, for example,immediately following reception if the cell type concerned is activatedand the receiving device is located in the cell area concerned.

In one design variant, the mobile receiving device accepts selectioncommands from the user to select cell types. The service assigned to thecell data is performed in the mobile receiving device in the event of apositively determined presence of the mobile receiving device in a cellarea with the selected cell type. This means that the service assignedto the cell data is performed in the mobile receiving device if themobile receiving device is located in the cell area defined by the celldata, and if the cell data have a cell type which was selected by theuser. For example, received data which are assigned to cell data with aselected cell type are accepted by the mobile receiving device forfurther processing if the mobile receiving device is located in the cellarea defined by these cell data.

In one design variant, the cell data define a three-dimensional regionalcell area. In a corresponding manner, a current three-dimensionalposition of the mobile receiving device is determined and the currentpresence of the mobile receiving device is determined in thethree-dimensional regional cell area on the basis of the currentthree-dimensional position. Spatial cell areas can thus be defined, anddefinable levels can therefore be spatially defined as cell areas intall (multistory) buildings.

In a further design variant, the cell data comprise validity data whichdefine a temporal validity of the regional cell area. The validity datacomprise, for example, a start instruction for instant activation of thecell area (provision of the cell), a stop instruction for immediatede-activation of the cell area (de-activation of the cell), a start timevalue with a stop time value for the definition of a time window (lifeof the cell), and/or a start time value with a time duration for thedefinition of the time window.

Along with the method for performing location-specific services of abroadcasting unit, a broadcasting unit suitable for this purpose and amobile receiving device suitable for this purpose, the present inventionfurthermore relates to a computer program product with computer programcode means for controlling one or more processors of the mobilereceiving device in such a way that the mobile receiving device receivesand stores cell data which define a regional cell area and which aretransmitted by the broadcasting unit, determines a current presence ofthe mobile receiving device in the cell area on the basis of the currentposition, and performs a service assigned to the cell data, in the eventof positively determined presence of the mobile receiving device in thecell area. The computer program product comprises in particular acomputer-readable medium on which the computer program code means arestored. This computer program product offers the advantage that itrenders standard mobile receiving devices usable, said devices havingposition-defining means, for the performance of location-specificservices in virtual broadcast service cells.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A design of the present invention is described below with reference toan example. The example of the design is illustrated by the followingappended figures:

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram which schematically illustrates a systemfor performing location-specific services, said system comprising abroadcasting unit for the wireless transfer of data to a mobilereceiving device.

FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram which illustrates an example of a stepsequence for performing location-specific services.

WAYS TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1, the reference number 3 designates a broadcasting unit with abroadcasting system 6 (broadcaster) and a broadcast transmitter 4(broadcast sender) for the wireless transfer of data, in particular tomobile receiving devices 1. The reference number 46 refers to theconnection of the broadcasting system 6 and the broadcast transmitter 4,for example via a communications connection and/or a transmitter feeder.As shown schematically in FIG. 1, the broadcasting unit 3 comprises acell-determination module 61, which is preferably designed as aprogrammed software module for controlling a computer of thebroadcasting unit 3, the function of which will be described later. Thebroadcasting unit 3 is set up, for example, for broadcast-based datatransfer via DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting), DMB (Digital MultimediaBroadcasting), DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) and/or DVB-H (DigitalVideo Broadcasting-Handheld). Along with the conventional one-waybroadcasting systems, two-way communication systems can also be used forbroadcast-based data transfer. Thus, the broadcasting unit 4 is, forexample, set up, in particular for smaller service areas, forbroadcast-based data transfer via WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network,e.g. in accordance with the 802.11 IEEE standards), whereby the WLAN hasa back channel for the data communication from the receiving device 1 tothe broadcasting unit 3 or to a content delivery system 7 (contentprovider), in the same frequency band as the broadcast channel or in adifferent frequency band. The content delivery system 7 is connected viathe communications line 67 to the broadcasting unit 3. Along with WLAN,further communications systems suitable for broadcast-based datatransfer, for example OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing),in particular in connection UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access, Bluetooth)are advantageous (economical and flexible). FIG. 1 indicates thebroadcast-based transfer of data and media content of broadcasttransmissions by means of the one-way arrow 41.

The mobile receiving device 1 is a two-way communications terminaldevice or a purely one-way receiving device. The mobile receiving device1 comprises a communications module 10, which is set up to receivebroadcast transmissions 41 from the broadcasting unit 3. In one designvariant, the communications module 10 is furthermore set up to establisha communications connection 79 via the air interface 8 and the mobileradio network 9 for return messages to the content delivery system 7and/or the broadcasting system 6. The mobile radio network 9 comprises,for example, a GSM network (Global System for Mobile Communication), aUMTS network (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) or a different,for example satellite-based, mobile radio network, a WLAN, an OFDM-basednetwork or a Bluetooth cell. Depending on the design variant, the mobilereceiving device 1 is, for example, designed as a mobile telephone, PDAcomputer (Personal Digital Assistant) , notebook or laptop computer, oras a radio or television receiver. Along with a display 17 and inputelements 18 (keypad, joystick, etc.), the mobile receiving device 1comprises a plurality of functional modules, i.e. a control module 11, acell-determination module 12, a position-determination module 13, apresence determination module 14, a service module 15 and a selectionmodule 16.

The position-determination module 13 is set up to determine the current(local, geographical) position of the mobile receiving device 1, forexample by means of GPS, Galileo or terrestrial location systems, forexample network-based location systems such as E-OTD. In one variant,the position-determination module 13 is set up to determine the currentposition by means of A-GPS (Assistant Global Positioning System), e.g.from Global Locate Inc., even within buildings (Indoor GPS), so thatextremely small regional cell areas can be determined within buildings.The position can also be determined on the basis of information from amobile radio network. In one variant, the position-determination module13 is furthermore set up to determine the current altitude and thereforethe current three-dimensional position of the mobile receiving device 1,for example by means of an altitude measurement module. The altitudemeasurement module is set up, for example, to determine the altitude viaGPS.

The remaining functional modules, the functionality of which isdescribed below with reference to FIG. 2, are preferably designed asprogrammed software modules on a computer program product which ispermanently or detachably connected to the mobile receiving device 1.

The mobile receiving device 1 preferably also comprises a chargingmodule to charge for services, for example based on the ConditionalAccess method incorporating the ECM (Entitlement Checking Message), EMM(Entitlement Management Message) and CW (Control Word). ConditionalAccess processes can also be integrated, as described in patentapplications WO01/67761 and WO01/67762.

In FIG. 1, the reference number 2 refers to the extended service areawhich is covered by the broadcasting unit 3. As shown in FIG. 1, a road21, for example, passes through the service area 2. The current positionof the mobile receiving device 1 is designated in the service area 2with the reference number 25. The reference numbers 22, 23 and 24designate different cells with different two-dimensional and/orthree-dimensional local or spatial cell areas (areas, e.g. circle,and/or volume, e.g. sphere) which are defined, for example, by a cellcenter and a cell radius and/or other cell area data (coordinates, sizedata, location or area designations, size and/or form data). A pluralityof cells form, for example, a cluster, and the individual cell areas areassigned to a cell cluster for this purpose, for example by means of acluster identification. In FIG. 1, different line types designateinactive cells 22, active cells 23 and cells 24 which are inpreparation.

The individual cells 22, 23, 24 are described by cell data which definenot only the cell area but also a cell type. As already described in theintroduction, examples of cell types include the alarm type, theinformation type, the application type and/or the link type. The celltype defines the intended use of a cell, for example the service type ofa location-specific service and/or the data type of location-specificinformation. As part of the cell type, contained within the cell type oras a separate data element, the cell data preferably also comprise aninstruction or run command. The cell data also comprise, for example,validity data which define a temporal validity of the relevant cell orthe relevant cell area. Depending on the design variant, the cell dataalso comprise a cell identification, for example a code, a number or aname. In one design variant, the cell type and/or the instruction aredesigned separately from the other cell data as logic data, and are, forexample, assigned via the cell identification to the cell data.

The data and media content of a broadcast transmission 41 are providedin the content delivery system 7 or in the broadcasting system 6. Thecontent provider preferably combines the information to be transmitted(e.g. alarms) with position parameters, for two-dimensional (areas) orthree-dimensional (volume) BLBS cells. The cell data are generated inthe broadcasting system 6 and/or in the content delivery system 7. Logicdata, separate if necessary, are generated in the broadcasting system 6,in the content delivery system 7 and/or in a specific logic deliverysystem. In one design variant, the content delivery system 7 comprises acell-determination module 71 corresponding to the cell-determinationmodule 61 for this purpose. For dynamic definition of the cells 22, 23,24 and their cell areas, the cell data and the logic data, separate ifnecessary, are transmitted from the cell-determination module 61 via thebroadcast transmitter 4. User data, to which at least some of the celldata relate, are transmitted from the broadcasting unit 3 together withthe corresponding cell data or via a cell identification separately fromthe cell data.

The selection module 16 is set up to list available or subscribed celltypes for the user on the display 17, and to accept instructions for theselection or deselection of these cell types from the user via the inputelements 18. This is particularly appropriate if a large number of celltypes is available and the user does not wish to have the entireselection activated. Specific cell types, in particular the alarm type,can preferably not be deselected by the user, so that information, e.g.the alarm information, can actually be transmitted to all users in thetarget area in the event of an emergency.

In the step S0, the user moves with his mobile receiving device 1 intothe service area 2 of the broadcasting unit 3.

In the step S1, the mobile receiving device 1 receives data which aretransmitted by the broadcasting unit 3, for example program-accompanyingdata, which are embedded in broadcast transmissions 41.

In the step S2, the control module 11 determines whether the datareceived in the step S1 comprise cell data. If no cell data have beenreceived, the control module continues in the step S5, otherwise, in thestep S3.

In the step S3, the control module 11 determines whether the cell typeof the received cell data has been selected by the user in the mobilereceiving device 1 (for example in a local cell type table). If the celltype of the received cell data is not selected, the control modulecontinues in the step S12, otherwise in the step S4.

In the step S4, the cell-determination module 12 accepts the receivedcell data and stores them in the mobile receiving device 1.

In the step S5, the control module 11 checks whether the data receivedin the step S1 have already been assigned to existing cell data whichare stored in the mobile receiving device 1 and which have a cell typeselected by the user. If the received data are not assigned to any celldata with a selected cell type, the control module continues in the stepS12, otherwise in the step S6.

In the step S6, the control module 11 checks whether the cell or cellarea defined by the cell data stored in the step S4 or assigned in thestep S5 is active (valid). This means that the control module 11 checkswhether the validity data of the relevant cell data define a time windowwhich comprises the current time, or whether the cell data stored in thestep S4 have a start instruction for immediate activation of therelevant cell area. The current time may be derived, for example, fromthe GPS signal. If the cell data or cell area is active, the controlmodule 11 continues in the step S7, otherwise in the step S12.

In the step S7, the position-determination module 13 determines thecurrent two-dimensional or three-dimensional position of the mobilereceiving device 1.

In the step S8, the presence-determination module 14 determines whetherthe current position determined in the step S7 is located in the cellarea defined by the cell data stored in the step S4 or assigned in thestep S5. This means that the presence-determination module 14 determinesthe current presence of the mobile receiving device 1 in the relevantcell area. For example, the presence-determination module 14 determineswhether the current position of the mobile receiving device 1 is locatedin an area or sphere defined by the cell data. In the event of apositively determined presence of the mobile receiving device 1 in therelevant cell area, i.e. if the mobile receiving device 1 is located inthe relevant cell area, the control module 11 continues in the step S9,otherwise in the step S12.

In the step S9, the service module 15 performs the location-specificservice defined by the cell data stored in the step S4 or assigned inthe step S5. To perform the location-specific service, theaforementioned cell data and, if necessary, further user data assignedto the cell data are used which, for example, were received togetherwith the cell data in the step S1 or which were received separately inthe step S1 and were assigned to the stored cell data in the step S5.The service module 15 determines the service to be performed on thebasis of the logic data which comprise the cell type and/or the assignedinstruction and which were received as part of the cell data orseparately assigned to the cell data. In the case of the celltype/instruction for alarms, for information and information categories(sub-types), the assigned alarm information or categorized otherinformation (stored data or data transmitted together with the celldata) are reproduced directly to the user, for example visually and/oraudibly. In the case of the cell type/instruction for applications orlinks, the assigned executable program sequences, program files(applets), applications (stored data or data transmitted together withthe cell data) are run on the mobile receiving device 1, or the assignedlink (stored or jointly transmitted) is accessed. Location-dependentapplications comprise, for example, executable or multimedia files (e.g.only conditionally usable in accordance with “Conditional Access”),which, for example, are additionally networked with a link in order toset up a connection via a communications network 9 so that further datacan be loaded onto the mobile receiving device 1. Location-dependentlinks refer, for example, to chargeable information.

In the step S10, the control module 11 checks whether the relevant cellneeds to be de-activated, i.e. whether the cell data stored in the stepS4 comprise a stop instruction for the immediate de-activation of thecell area, or whether the cell data assigned in the step S5 comprisevalidity information with an expired time window. If the relevant cellneeds to be deactivated, the control module 11 continues in the stepS11, otherwise in the step S12.

In the step S11, the control module 11 de-activates the relevant cell,for example, by deleting the corresponding cell data in the mobilereceiving device 1.

In the step S12, the control module 11 ends a cycle for processingreceived broadcast data in the service area 2 and, in the step S1,receives new data from the broadcasting unit 3.

In one design variant, the user can use the control module 11 to displayinformation relating to available services in adjacent cells 22, 23, 24on the display 17. In the optional step S8, the control module 11stores, for example, cell data for cell areas in the vicinity of thecurrent position 25 of the mobile terminal device 1 for this purpose,for example limited to within a specific radius of the current position25.

Finally, the following examples of applications are cited: definition ofvirtual service cells or cell clusters along a highway (road 21) for theprovision of information relating to the road condition; in an area witha large chemical industry presence for the transmission of alarms in theevent of chemical accidents; in tourist areas for the dynamic, targeteddelivery of information depending on location and time; in largebuilding complexes for floor-specific or and/or room-specific targetedinformation transfer (e.g. public buildings such as railway stations orairports), or also in other premises with small areas or rooms, forexample museums, exhibitions and events of any type for targetedinformation delivery in large, broadcasting areas providing blanketcoverage.

1. A method for performing location-specific services of a broadcastingunit, comprising: setting up of cells for the location-specific servicesthrough: transfer of cell data which define a regional cell area by thebroadcasting unit to a mobile receiving device, storage of the cell datain the mobile receiving device, determining in the mobile receivingdevice of a current position of the mobile receiving device, anddetermining by the mobile receiving device of a current presence of themobile receiving device in the cell area on the basis of the currentposition; and in the event of a positively determined presence of themobile receiving device in the cell area, performance of a serviceassigned to the cell data in the mobile receiving device.